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Larger airframes drove the development of electrical systems, capable of quickly and reliably starting the new higher power engines. These soon gave rise to the need for engine-mounted electrical generators as the primary source of in-flight power for the electrical loads and onboard recharging of the aircraft battery system. Of all the backup power sources, batteries represent the most common means of storing energy for auxiliary or emergency power requirements. It is not unusual for a typical commercial airliner, such as a B-737 or A-320, to have dozens of batteries on board. Over time, multiple battery chemistries were put to the test and the industry is still working on the optimal option. The lithium-ion technology has been gaining acceptance, with some important aspects to be considered: the application type, basic safety requirements and the presence or absence of humans on the vehicle.

Solar Energy Harvesting: How to Generate Thermal and Electric Power Simultaneously describes energy harvesting using a hybrid concentrating photovoltaic (PV) system with simultaneous thermal generation for energy storage. Several designs have been proposed to build a system that takes advantage of the entire solar spectrum through direct electric generation using concentrated light onto photovoltaics while generating thermal energy using wavelengths of light not captured by the PV cell. This title addresses the current technologies and state-of-the-art designs, as well as the methodologies, underlying physics, and engineering implications.

This book sheds light on three essential questions: 1. What is the likely supply of gasoline and diesel from oil worldwide to power light vehicles and trucks through 2030-2035? 2. Could any other fuel economically replace gasoline? Will different parts of the world answer that question differently? 3. How will the answers to these questions affect what we engineer, make, and drive in 2030–2035? As difficult as it is to predict timing of these events, the book presents reasonable assumptions and alternative scenarios. Since a switch to alternative technologies will require substantial investment, it is critical to have a sense of when. Despite the global reach of the automotive industry, it is unlikely that a solution for one region will fit all. A more reasonable goal is a set of projected ‘ecosystems’ using differing amounts of oil, electricity, or alternative fuels. From this, automotive managers and leaders can get a sense of how to make business decisions for the future.

Placing emphasis on practical "how-to" guidance, this cutting-edge resource provides you with a first-hand, insider’s perspective on the advent and evolution of smart grids in the 21st century (smart grid 1.0). You gain a thorough understanding of the building blocks that comprise basic smart grids, including power plant, transmission substation, distribution, and meter automation. Moreover, this forward-looking volume explores the next step of this technology’s evolution. It provides a detailed explanation of how an advanced smart grid incorporates demand response with smart appliances and management mechanisms for distributed generation, energy storage, and electric vehicles. The Advanced Smart Grid uses the design and construction of the first citywide smart grid in the US as a case study, sharing the many successes and lessons learned.

This unique resource provides a detailed understanding of the options for harvesting energy from localized, renewable sources to supply power to autonomous wireless systems. You are introduced to a variety of types of autonomous system and wireless networks and discover the capabilities of existing battery-based solutions, RF solutions, and fuel cells. The book focuses on the most promising harvesting techniques, including solar, kinetic, and thermal energy. You also learn the implications of the energy harvesting techniques on the design of the power management electronics in a system. This in-depth reference discusses each energy harvesting approach in detail, comparing and contrasting its potential in the field.